The Volleyball BC Hall of Fame has proudly grown to 53 inductees in its ninth anniversary.
It was created to honour volleyball athletes, teams, coaches, officials and builders who have had significant impact in developing the sport within British Columbia.
2023 Hall of Fame Inductees
Volleyball BC is proud to announce the 2023 class of inductees to the Volleyball BC Hall of Fame. Two extraordinary individuals and one team was honoured at the (virtual) Hall of Fame Awards, presented by GLC Solutions.
Congratulations to Randy Wagner, Claire Lloyd and the 1977/78 UBC Women’s Volleyball team on their exemplary accomplishments. These inductees have raised the profile of the sport of volleyball, each in their own way, and are well deserved of recognition amongst the best of the best in the history of volleyball in BC.
The 2023 Volleyball BC Hall of Fame Awards will be once again showcased virtually with a digital program, video presentations, podcasts, and interviews with our inductees.
Click on the menus below to see all our inductees from past years and watch their induction ceremonies and listen to their podcasts from the past three years of the virtual Hall of Fame.
Glenn Wheatley (Official) Biography:
Glenn started refereeing when he was in Grade 10 when one of his teachers convinced him that it would be a good idea. That was the beginning – starting out as an indoor local level official in 1978, he would achieve his provincial and regional level certifications a few years later. Glenn gained his indoor national level certification in 2003. He became a Volleyball Canada Referee Supervisor & Evaluator in 2007 and a national level Official Clinician/Evaluator in 2010 – a role that he continues to fulfil today. Glenn was an Referee Assignor across the Lower Mainland for high school and club volleyball. He’s officiated and supervised at a variety of levels including BC High School Provincial Championships, Club Championships as well as the collegiate level including USports/PACWEST/BC Collegiate Athletic Association. On the international stage, he served as the Referee Assistant Manager at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Cup in 2016 in Langley and most recently the Referee Manager at the NORCECA Men’s World League Qualifiers in 2020 in Vancouver. Throughout his tenure, Glenn has also been an Assignor at the local, provincial and national levels and has assigned more than five-thousand games during his tenure. Glenn now works as the Referee Development Manager at Volleyball BC, where he helps develop and mentor younger referees and gives back to the sport and position he loves.
To view Glenn’s digital program, click HERE.
To listen to Glenn’s podcast, click HERE.
To view Glenn’s HoF induction ceremony, click HERE.
Rod Belinski (Builder) Biography:
Rod began his volleyball career coaching when he started his teaching career in Mission in 1973. After three years coaching grade eight junior boys and girls, Rod moved to Kelowna and began coaching senior boys volleyball at KLO Secondary. From 1978 to 1998 he coached the KLO senior boys to 19 provincial championship appearances. His impressive record included four AAA and one single A gold, three AAA and one AA silvers, and four AAA and 1 AA bronzes. Rod took his coaching to the national and international level where he was the Assistant Coach of the BC Pacific Rim team at the 1987 Canada Games Team. He became the Head Coach of the Pacific Rim Teams with trips to Hawaii, Japan and Australia. Rod helped develop a provincial ranking system for the BC High School Boys Provincial Championships. By introducing a weekly top-ten ranking system for AA and AAA boys’ volleyball, it made the championships for volleyball more friendly and less of an endurance challenge. In 1999, Rod pursued a new coaching challenge – post-secondary – by becoming the Head Coach at the Okanagan University College. His success continued as he led the team to silver and bronze at the provincial level and won a bronze medal at the national level. Rod was also a provincial level official and was the allocator for officials in Kelowna from the mid-80s to 1999. Rod received several awards during his volleyball career including a lifetime membership in the BC School Sports Volleyball Association, BC High School Coach of the Year, and induction into the Central Okanagan Hall of Fame in 2015.
To view Rod’s digital program, click HERE.
To listen to Rod’s podcast, click HERE.
To view Rod’s HoF induction ceremony, click HERE.
Tom Graham (Athlete) Biography:
Tom’s long storied volleyball career began in Courtenay, BC where he was a member of the Georges P. Vanier Towhees that captured the Vancouver Island High School Volleyball Championship in 1972. After high school, Tom stayed close to home and played at the University of Victoria where he started to turn heads, especially at the national level. He left BC when he was selected to go to the national team training centres in Montreal and Winnipeg. Before he left, Tom helped Team BC win Gold at the Canada Winter Games in 1975. While in university, Tom made Team Canada’s Men’s Volleyball team and competed in the Pan-American games, World Cup, World Championships and the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Following the Games, Tom played for the University of Manitoba Bisons where he would help lead them to two CIAU national championships in three years. After graduating with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, he eventually made his way back to BC and stepped into coaching, with stints at Trinity Western and UVic before heading to the University of Saskatchewan where he continued his coaching career with the Huskies. Tom would go on and receive his PhD in Health Psychology. He is a part of the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame, Volleyball Saskatchewan Hall of Fame, and was most recently inducted into the Volleyball BC Hall of Fame in 2020 in the Team category for the 1975 Canada Winter Games Men’s team that won gold.
To view Tom’s program, click HERE.
To listen to Tom’s podcast, click HERE.
Jamie Broder (Athlete) Biography:
Jamie is a great success story from Vancouver Island. She started her career with Claremont Secondary while playing club for the Victoria Volleyball Association. She helped them win silver at the 18U Indoor Nationals. Jamie played both beach and indoor volleyball throughout her high school and collegiate years where she stayed close to home at Malaspina University College, winning silver and bronze at the CCAA Nationals in 2004 and 2006. During her time in university, Jamie was making a name for herself on the beach stage winning U18 Beach, U20 and U24 Beach Nationals while representing Canada at multiple FIVB Beach World Championships around the world. Jamie moved to the Lower Mainland where she then played for the UBC Thunderbirds Women’s Volleyball team for two years helping them capture the CIS Championship in 2008 while being named a tournament all-star. That same year she was also named to the National Beach Volleyball team and went on to become one of the most decorated Beach Volleyball athletes to come out of this province. Jamie’s 11-year beach volleyball career with Team Canada saw her achieve many great accomplishments including NORCECA titles in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. She also became the first Canadian Woman (along with partner Kristina Valjas) to win an FIVB World Tour medal, capturing gold in China in 2015 where they beat Kerri Walsh and April Ross on the way to the crown. That victory helped Jamie achieve one of her dreams to represent Canada in the Olympic Games which she did in 2016 with a 9th place finish in Rio De Janerio. Jamie continued to excel after that achievement, collecting more hardware with gold and bronze medals at the Senior Beach Volleyball Nationals in 2017 & 2018 and gold and silver medals at the Vancouver Open in 2018 & 2019. Jamie is now Vice President and one of the partners of BCO Volleyball Club in North Vancouver.
To view Jamie’s program, click HERE.
To listen to Jamie’s podcast, click HERE.
Moo Park (Coach) Biography:
Moo Park is a name known not just within the volleyball circles in BC or Canada, but around the world. Moo came to Canada in 1974 when he was hired to become the first full-time National Women’s Team coach to develop and prepare the team for the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. He brought his innovative techniques and gameplay to Vancouver, which would become the National Team’s training centre. Moo travelled across the country to recruit the best Canadian female volleyball athletes to train on the West Coast. In the lead up to the Olympic Games, Moo took the team to several high level tournaments including three NORCECA championships, an 8th place finish at the 1974 World Championships, and a bronze medal at the 1975 Pan-American Games, putting Canada on the map for Women’s Volleyball. Canada finished 8th place at the Montreal Olympics putting up strong competition against some of the best countries in the world. After the Games, Moo decided to stay in the Lower Mainland and coach the Vancouver Chimos, winning two Women’s National titles. He later would work with Volleyball BC and run high-performance programs out of the Harry Jerome Sports Centre where he trained some of the top young men and women in the province. Moo’s hard work and dedication turned the Canadian Women’s program into one of the top 15 in the world.
To view Moo’s digital program, click HERE.
To listen to Moo’s podcast, click HERE.
Audrey H. Vandervelden (Athlete) Biography:
Audrey’s volleyball career started in high school playing for Burnaby Central where she was named First Team All-Star and led her team to a third place finish at the High School Provincial Championships in 1971. She attended the popular Winfield Camp where she met Moo Park who would later go on to be her coach at the national level. She attended UBC and joined the Chimo Volleyball Club led by Art Wilms in 1972. Audrey got her first taste of international action as part of the Junior Canadian National Team where they finished first. She went on to be selected to the Senior National team later that same year where they won gold at the 1973 Canadian Senior Nationals. The following year, Audrey was selected to be one of 14 players to represent Canada at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Prior to the games, Audrey was awarded Top Blocker in a pre-Olympic Games competition in Romania and was selected as an All-Star in Japan. The team would surprise many and finish 8th place at the Montreal Olympic Games. Following this success, Audrey attended law school at UBC which preoccupied much of her time but she also trained in Vancouver and Toronto with the National Team. She relocated to Toronto and continued with Team Canada, playing in the World Championships in Russia and Peru, in the Pan-Am Games in Venezuela, and at the 1983 NORCECA Championships in Indianapolis where the team achieved an impressive third place finish. Audrey finished her national career with an appearance at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles where the National Team finished 8th at the Games. She concluded her impressive volleyball career with appearances at the Masters Games which included defeating Russia in the final of the 2009 Hunstman Games, Masters Global Cup.
To view Audrey’s digital program, click HERE.
To listen to Audrey’s podcast, click HERE.
Betty Baxter (Athlete) Biography:  Betty played volleyball at the University of British Columbia and was a member of the Thunderbirds team that won back-to-back National Interuniversity Sport titles in 1972-73 and 1973-74. In 1974 she was named BC’s University Athlete of the Year. A member of the national volleyball team, Betty was captain of the team that represented Canada at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. She began her coaching career at the University of Alberta in 1977. In 1979 Betty became full-time Head Coach of the National Volleyball Program, the first female, and the first Canadian to achieve this position. She has been an outspoken advocate for lesbian and gay issues in sport and the community. A strong believer in developing equality in sport, Betty is a co-founder of the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and the National Coaching School for Women. She was a board member and spokesperson for the 1990 Vancouver Gay Games. As a player/coach Betty capped off an impressive career with a gold medal win in volleyball at the 1986 San Francisco Gay Games and a silver medal at the 1990 Vancouver Gay Games. Betty Baxter Induction Schedule: Feb 15 – Social media feature – Volleyball BC Instagram & Volleyball BC Facebook Feb 15 – Digital event program feature – Click HERE to view Feb 16 – Podcast interview w/ inductee – Click HERE to listen Feb 17 – Video presentation + Virtual induction ceremony – Click HERE to watch |
Tom Jones (Athlete) Biography:  Tom Jones is one of the most decorated volleyball athletes in BC. His volleyball journey began at Mission Secondary School, guiding them to a second place finish at the 1974 BC High School Provincial Championships. Tom helped Team BC capture the Gold at the 1975 Canada Games. Jones played university volleyball at UBC as he helped the T-Birds to a CIAU title in 1976 followed up a silver medal in 1977. He was a member and co-captain of Team Canada from 1977-1984 playing in over 250 matches. and would go on to play for the Bronze at the 1979 Pan American Games, capture Silver at the 1983 FISU World Student Games and a semi-final appearance at the 1984 Olympic Games, the best ever finish for Canadian Volleyball at an Olympic games. Tom played professionally in Europe (Italy & France), officially retiring in 1991. Since then, he’s worn many volleyball hats, including CEO of the Commonwealth Games Canada, past president of Volleyball BC, served on the Board of Directors with Volleyball Canada and helped bring the Canadian Women’s National Volleyball Training Centre to Richmond. Tom is a four-time inductee of the Volleyball Canada Hall of Fame as well as member of the UBC Hall of Fame, and Mission Sports Hall of Fame. Tom Jones Induction Schedule: Feb 22 – Social media feature – Volleyball BC Instagram & Volleyball BC Facebook Feb 22 – Digital event program feature – Click HERE to view Feb 23 – Podcast interview w/ inductee – Click HERE to listen Feb 24 – Video presentation + Virtual induction ceremony – Click HERE to watch |
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Barb & Denis Murdoch (Builder) Biography:  Denis began his volleyball career as a coach in 1972 in Vernon. Shortly after, Denis alongside his wife Barb started the Vernon Volleyball Club in 1975, and included players from Revelstoke to Princeton. Murdoch would move on to teach at Vernon Senior Secondary in 1980, which included a pair of trips to the provincial finals, including a third place finish. The Murdoch’s – known as Mr. and Mrs. Volleyball in the Okanagan– grew the club program to three levels and 12 teams. Murdoch retired from coaching volleyball in 1997, but returned to the game in 2002 and spent five more years as an assistant coach at the school and club level. After retirement, he and Barb would become officials and were recruited to assist with running the Provincial High School Championship in 2016. Denis was awarded a lifetime membership by Volleyball BC in 2018. Barb & Denis Murdoch Induction Schedule: Mar 1 – Social media feature – Volleyball BC Instagram & Volleyball BC Facebook Mar 2 – Digital event program feature – Click HERE to view Mar 2 – Podcast interview w/ inductee – Click HERE to listen Mar 3 – Video presentation + Virtual induction ceremony – Click HERE to Watch |
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Don Smyth (Coach) Biography:  Don began his coaching career at Victoria High in 1958 where he led the Boys and Girls teams to three provincial titles. He would later move on to become head coach of the University of Victoria Vikes and Vikettes. Don guided Team BC to a gold medal at the 1967 Canada Games in Quebec City as the team did not drop a single set the entire tournament. Don would make history by becoming the first head coach of the national women’s team at the 1967 Pan American Games. He also coached them at the inaugural 1969 NORCECA championships in Mexico. He was instrumental in organizing a world class Canada-wide volleyball tour between Russia and the United States. Don would go on to become the first elected President of the Canadian Volleyball Association (now Volleyball Canada). Don Smyth Induction Schedule: Mar 8 – Social media feature – Volleyball BC Instagram & Volleyball BC Facebook Mar 8 – Digital event program feature – Click HERE to view Mar 9 – Podcast interview w/ inductee – Click HERE to listen Mar 10 – Video presentation + Virtual induction ceremony – Click HERE to Watch |
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1977-78 BCO Men’s Team (Team) Biography:  The team is the first and only group from BC to win a National Men’s Gold Medal. This came at a time when the National Club Championships were considered the most prestigious and most difficult tournament to qualify and ultimately win in Canadian volleyball. The team, led by coach Brian Watson was the perfect compliment to a revamped BCO squad coming off a silver medal in the 1976-77 National Championships. The following year the team would go on to defeat Saskatchewan in the semi-finals and Manitoba in the finals to capture the 1977-78 Canadian National Men’s Championships. 1977-78 BCO Men’s Team Induction Schedule: Mar 15 – Social media feature – Volleyball BC Instagram & Volleyball BC Facebook Mar 15 – Digital event program feature – Click HERE to view Mar 16 – Podcast interview w/ inductee – Click HERE to listen Mar 17 – Video presentation + Virtual induction ceremony – Click HERE to watch |
Please join us in congratulating the following individuals on their induction into the Volleyball BC Hall of Fame. The VBC Hall of Fame honours British Columbian individuals and teams who have raised the profile of our sport and deserve recognition among the best of the best in the history of volleyball in BC. For photos of the 2020 Volleyball BC Hall of Fame & Excellence Awards Banquet CLICK HERE
Ken Witzke – Athlete
Ken was on the first ever UBC team to win a Western Canadian University Championship in 1963 and BC Open Championship in 1965, with both teams going undefeated. Ken played for Team BC, who went on a historic undefeated run to win the first ever Canada Winter Games Gold Medal Championship in Quebec City. During his volleyball career, Ken won 3 silver medals at National Club Championships and played at Two World Student Games, in 1967 for UBC and in 1970 for the University of Montreal. Ken was also a member of the 1971 Canadian Pan Am Team and the 1972 Canadian Senior National Team. In addition to his time as a player, Ken was the Assistant Coach on the 1973 Senior National Women’s Volleyball Team and the Head Coach of the 1977 & 1978 UBC Men’s Varsity Volleyball Team.
WATCH KEN WITZKE’S Hall of Fame Speech.
Joe Moreira – Builder
Joe’s involvement in the sport of volleyball began through coaching volleyball in 1977 at Mt. Sentinel in South Slocan, BC where he was a teacher. Joe was very involved in volleyball development camps, provincial tryout camps and regional camps in the Okanagan and the Kootenays. Joe has been instrumental in the development and operation of the Kootenay Volleyball club and served as a Volleyball BC regional representative for the Kootenay’s region. Joe has officiated at the local, regional and provincial level and acted as the Zone Official Chair for the Kootenay’s for over 30 years. For over 15 years Joe served as head coach for the Williams Lake volleyball camp, impacting over 300 athletes each summer. Notable coaching accomplishments include winner four Provincial A High School Championships, three silver medals and ten bronze medals as coach of Mt. Sentinels girls teams.
WATCH JOE MOREIRA’S Hall of Fame Speech.
Ray Lepp – Builder
In his early years Ray played volleyball in Estonia in a very strong school and club system and on the Estonian National Men’s Volleyball Team. When Ray immigrated to Canada he recognized that the profile of volleyball in Canada was lower and he worked tirelessly to increase the interest in the sport. He was known as a dedicated athlete, official, coach and administrator of volleyball and was the founding member of Volleyball BC in 1965 and continued as a Board Member until 1978. With Ray’s passing, the Ray Lepp Scholarship Award was created as Ray chose to donate funds through his will to provide a permanent endowment that would support in perpetuity a scholarship that encourages and recognizes volleyball and personal excellence in British Columbia for athletes entering post-secondary education.
WATCH RAY LEPP’S Hall of Fame Speech by Dale Ohman & Dagmar Ohman, who spoke on behalf of Ray.
1975 Team BC Canada Winter Games Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Teams – Team
At the 1975 Canada Winter Games both the men’s and women’s Team BC volleyball teams won gold medals in dominating performances. Specifically, the men’s team defeated Team Manitoba 15-1, 15-9 and the women’s team defeated Team Manitoba 15-5, 15-2. Some impressive stats of this Games include that both teams went undefeated for the entire tournament, with the women’s team only losing a single set and that the women’s team only took 25 minutes to defeat their opponent in Gold Medal match. The closest any team came was Team Alberta and Team Quebec, both managing 10 points in a match against Team BC.
WATCH THE TEAM BC HALL OF FAME INTRODUCTION VIDEO.
WATCH THE MEN’S TEAM Hall of Fame Introduction Speech.
WATCH THE WOMEN’S TEAM Hall of Fame Introduction Speech.
Please join us in congratulating the following individuals on their induction into the Volleyball BC Hall of Fame. The VBC Hall of Fame honours British Columbian individuals and teams who have raised the profile of our sport and deserve recognition among the best of the best in the history of volleyball in BC. Helen Hunt – Athlete 
Helen Hunt was already an extraordinary athlete before taking up volleyball. In 1955, she won gold in the women’s 100-metre freestyle at the Pan Am Games and set a new world record for the 100 free short course yards the following year. After representing Canada in several international swimming competitions, Helen then applied her athleticism and determination to volleyball. During her volleyball career, Helen won 11 national club championships, led the Vancouver Calonas team to third place at the USAAU Championships, and played on four Canadian championship teams in 1964 and 1966-68. She was also a member of the 1967 Canadian Pan Am Games volleyball team that placed sixth, the 1971 Canadian Pan Am team that placed fifth, and the 1973 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup team that placed seventh. In addition to her time as a player, Helen coached teams from Van Tech and Killarney Secondary, served on the BCVA board, and was the first female volleyball commentator on TV during the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. https://youtu.be/sYnd_Ttiel4
Larry Plenert started playing volleyball for John Oliver Secondary School in 1970 and was named MVP of BCVA junior men’s provincials in his second season. He became a Team BC player shortly after, and helped the squad secure bronze in the Canada Summer Games and second place at the National Senior Men’s Championships. Larry continued to develop by playing for the University of Winnipeg Wesmen, leading the team to two consecutive CIAU Championships, and earning both the Canada West and CIAU 1st All-Star Awards in 1974. He went on to spend 10 years playing for the national team and represented Canada at the NORCECA Championships, FISU World Student Games, FIVB World Championships, Pan Am Games, Olympics Games, Friendship Games and Canada Cup. Within his international tours and competitions, Larry also played in the IVA professional league for two years. During and after his professional volleyball career, Larry coached several teams such as Rosthern Junior College, University of Saskatchewan, Trinity Western University, Walnut Grove Secondary, Team BC and Fraser Valley Volleyball Club. He and his Wesmen championship team were inducted into the Manitoba Hall of Fame in 2015, followed by the Manitoba Sport Hall of Fame in 2016. https://youtu.be/CsjQrz7stc0
Art’s began coaching volleyball in 1966 when he created the Calgary Cals Volleyball Club in Alberta. He then moved to Vancouver in 1970 and began coaching the Vancouver Calonas, later known as the Chimos. As head coach, Art led the Chimos to a total of 10 National Championship titles from 1967-77—including an undefeated record of 107 wins during the 1972-73 season. Art went on to served as the assistant coach of Canada’s 1971 Pan Am Games women’s volleyball team. He was then named as the Canadian women’s national team coach in 1973 and won a silver medal at NORCECA Championships in Mexico. He also raised Canada’s international profile in the sport by organizing games with teams from East Germany and China. As an administrator, Art served as President of the Canadian Volleyball Association (CVA) from 1973-78. He also served on the Bid Committee for the Women’s National Volleyball Team Training Centre and on the Trust Board for the Richmond Olympic Oval of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Ray Myrtle started his volleyball journey in high school playing for Templeton Secondary, then returned to coach the school’s teams alongside Gordon Chamberlain. In 1971, Ray and Gord were hired by Volleyball BC to promote the sport in elementary schools, and they developed a number of teacher workshops, player clinics and summer camps throughout the Lower Mainland. Ray moved to Kitimat, BC in order to work and save for his dream of studying volleyball in Japan. While in Kitimat, Ray set up a men’s volleyball club and was very involved in the development of additional clubs around the province. He then made the journey to Japan, and shadowed the Takaiku Kikchui high school championship team and the Olympic men’s gold medal team. He also met with the Japan Volleyball Association and established the Iwate Exchange Program to benefit Canadian and Japanese players. Ray returned to Canada and spent two years in Kamloops to create the first two U14 Batam provincial championships that continue today. He then moved back to Vancouver and became BCVA’s vice president of development in 1977, then its technical and executive director in 1978. After Ray left the BCVA, he remained involved by teaching camps in Canada and the USA. https://youtu.be/hCi1pXVll5k
Patty’s passion for volleyball developed throughout the 1970-80s as she played for the BC women’s provincial team, Canadian junior and senior women’s national teams, and professional teams in Italy. She retired from playing in 1987 due to a back injury but quickly discovered that that coaching was how she could give back to the sport she loved so much. Patty went on to support the province’s volleyball community for over 20 years. Her impressive coaching and leadership experience includes the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, Langara College, the BC Pac Rim team and the BC wheelchair volleyball team. Patty also became Volleyball BC’s Coaching and Technical Development Coordinator, and Chair of the Coaching Committee. She co-created the Coaches Code of Conduct during her tenure at VBC, which is still the foundation for guidelines used today. In addition to these accomplishments, Patty was one of the first women to reach Level 4/5 of Canada’s National Coaching Certification Programme. She became a NCCP Course Conductor and went on to instruct at the National Coaching School for Women. She also became a board member of ProMOTION Plus, the provincial non-profit organization that advocates for the advancement of girls and women in sport. https://youtu.be/pfBTTJBnMls
Jane Kublick started to referee at the age of 16 when her high school physical education teacher asked her to referee volleyball games for the younger grades—and that became the first step to her tenure as a respected official. By the age of 18, she achieved both provincial and regional level certifications and was already officiating post-secondary games. While studying education at the University of British Columbia in 1976, Jane formed the Kanaka Volleyball Club with Carl Hensel and coached the program for five years. She was also involved with the Chimo Volleyball Club and the Canadian national women’s team, which provided plenty of opportunities to referee.Jane’s pursuit of volleyball and teaching took her to Japan from 1989-95, where she was one of the first Canadians to officiated numerous matches in the country. Upon her return to Canada, she went on to referee for the Pacific Rim Championship, BC Winter Games, CCAA and CIS Championships, several NORCECA competitions, FIVB Women’s Grand Prix and more. She continues to be a familiar face at provincial and national tournaments to this day, and dedicates time to helping promote and mentor other female officials. 1971 Vancouver Calonas – Team 
The 1971 Vancouver Calonas were part of a dynasty that dominated women’s volleyball in Canada from 1966-75 and won nine consecutive National Open Championships. In Vic Lindal’s last year as head coach, the 1971 team played an undefeated regular season. During January of 1971, the Calonas travelled to Los Angeles for the Three Flags Tournament, where they beat the USA’s best teams and finished second to the Brazilian national collegiate team. For the 1971 Pan Am Games, ten of the 12 players that made women’s volleyball team were from the Vancouver Calonas. Head coach Vic Lindal, assistant coach Art Wilms and manager Margaret Harris were also from the Calonas. Their team became the first to beat the USA in international play and finished fifth. Several players from the Calonas and Pan Am Games team also went on to play for Canada in the 1976 Summer Olympics. To top off the team’s historic year, the Calonas won Sport BC’s Team of the Year Award for second year in a row. This was the only volleyball team to ever win this honour and the only team of any sport with consecutive awards.
Please join us in congratulating the following individuals on their induction into the Volleyball BC Hall of Fame. The VBC Hall of Fame honours British Columbian individuals and teams who have raised the profile of our sport and deserve recognition among the best of the best in the history of volleyball in BC.
MARY MACDONALD – ATHLETEMary Macdonald moved to Vancouver from Toronto and immediately had an impact on volleyball in B.C. After having success winning four National Titles with the Toronto V-Club, Mary helped found and turn the Vancouver Alums Volleyball Club into a national powerhouse, winning National Championships in ‘64 and ‘66. At both those tournaments she was named the MVP and an All-Star. While competing in the USA, Mary garnered All-Star status while competing in the American National Volleyball Championships (Philadelphia, 1962) – the first foreigner to do so. Aside from being an elite volleyball player, MacDonald was also one of Canada’s finest basketball players and was considered Canada’s best all-around female athlete of her era. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnhK5dzrNCo
GREG RUSSELL – ATHLETEMost Hall of Fame journeys start from being exposed to a sport at an early age, but Greg Russell’s journey to volleyball dominance didn’t start until his Grade 12 year at Claremont Secondary School in Victoria, B.C. From there, Greg would go on to star at UVic for five years and then on to the Canadian National Team, where he was one of the toughest, most imposing middles in the sport, from 1974-79. He would represent Canada Internationally at a variety of events, with the highlights being, the 1974 World Championships, the 1976 Olympics and the 1978 World Championships. Once his National team journey wrapped up, Greg moved on to play few years professionally in the International Volleyball Association, before returning to B.C. to continue playing for various Senior Club teams in the Lower Mainland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrWXhYYSzlA
MARILYN POMFRET – BUILDERMarilyn Pomfret grew up in Winnipeg, but moved west in 1951 to attend UBC. After teaching high school for several years, Marilyn returned to UBC to teach, coach volleyball and serve as the women’s athletic director. Under her guidance, UBC would win two Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) National Titles in ’73 and ’74. But Marilyn’s biggest impact was the work she did off the floor. She founded the B.C. High School Girls Volleyball Tournament, the Vancouver Women’s Volleyball League and the BC Volleyball Association, as well as, introducing CIAU National Championships for women’s university sports
KENT ANDREWS – COACHIt is entirely possible, that no one has committed as much time to coaching and mentoring in B.C.’s volleyball community than Kent Andrews. Kent was first introduced to the sport of volleyball in 1949 at Willington Beach (Powell River, B.C.) on a grass court that was set up by adults, many of whom served in World War II, and the game has been with him ever since. Along the way, Kent has touched many lives, coaching various high school teams, performance teams, at UVic and as part of the first Team BC Program in 1973, coaching the girls team. Kent would go on to lead them to Gold at the 1975 Canada Winter Games in Lethbridge, Alta. He was also instrumental in bringing the Pacific Rim Championships and is the first Canadian coach to lead a Canadian team (Team BC) to a win over Japan in sanctioned event. Kent has also officiated at nearly every level of volleyball and completed his Master’s Degree thesis on “Teaching Volleyball Skills to Beginners”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfrRK8lGR4Y
JOHN CAMPBELL – COACHIf one had to pick just two words to describe John Campbell, those words would surely be ‘innovator’ and ‘communicator’. John traveled to the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and returned to the small B.C. mining town of Revelstoke (Population, 5,000) with an wealth of knowledge from watching the Silver Medal winning Japanese National Team play their innovative, 5-1, up-tempo, multi-attack style. He then brought that knowledge to the high school team he was coaching and taught his students how to replicate their style to perfection. The result, seven consecutive B.C. High School Provincial Championships, rarely losing a set and multiple awards & medals in various other tournaments. But with all that said, perhaps John’s biggest contribution is the lasting legacy he’s left with the players who played for him that are now some of volleyball’s brightest and best teachers of the game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ67em2PczE
GARY MCWILLIAM – OFFICIALGary McWilliam first got involved in the sport of volleyball as a coach in 1970, but quickly realized that for the sport to thrive, the sport would need to build upon its most scarce and valuable resource: qualified and highly trained officials. In 1971, Gary received his Provincial referee designation ,and continued on, earning his Regional referee designation in 1977 and his National referee designation in 1980 – serving as B.C.’s Regional Officials Chair (ROC) from 1979-88. In his time as ROC Gary improved the standard of officiating in B.C. by implanting several changes and programs, such as, a monthly newsletter, a Novice officials program, roll-out of the new local level one official’s certification and a more professional looking standard dress code for officials. Gary has also mentor Volleyball BC Hall of Fame Officials, Jeff Gogol, Howard Hum, Vale Savege and Harish Dalpatram, as well as, officiated several high level volleyball events. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cary3hR8lsc
1966 – 1967 UBC MEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAMThe 1966-67 UBC Thunderbirds Men’s Team are considered by many to be pioneers for how the game is played today. This young, up start group coached by Eric Lessman was one of the first teams in the country to switch from a 4-2 system to a 5-1 system, which lead to plenty of headaches for opposing players and coaches. The Thunderbirds finished the 1967 season winning the first ever CIAU (now U Sports) National Title, the National Junior Championships, capturing Bronze at the National Open Championships and representing Canada at the 1967 Summer Universiade (World University Games) in Tokyo, Japan. Three members of this team would go on to represent Canada at the 1967 Pan American Games. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89oATBUUhnY
Please join us in congratulating the following individuals on their induction into the Volleyball BC Hall of Fame. The VBC Hall of Fame honours British Columbian individuals and teams who have raised the profile of our sport and deserve recognition among the best of the best in the history of volleyball in BC.
Keith truly represents what it means to be an Athlete for life. Growing up in Revelstoke, Keith led his high school team to 4 consecutive High School Provincial Championships earning all-star’s and MVP’s in 1971. After high school he moved on to play for UBC leading his team to consecutive CIS finals in 1976 and ‘77 and coming away with a gold in ’76. Proceeding his CIS career, Keith played on BCO Sr. Mens team and received Canadian Championships medals 2 consecutive years (gold in ’78). He also played professionally for the first North American Pro League with the Salt Lake City Stingers. He continues to play in masters championships such as: 2000 Canadian Masters (Champion 35+); 2008 Global Cup Masters (Champion 50+); 2010 US Open Masters (Champion 55+); 2016 America’s Masters Games (Champion 60+). Keith is a player to be reckoned with and will remain an athlete for life.
Liz Cordonier is one of BC’s most celebrated volleyball athletes having been awarded every honour possible for a student athlete. As a BC native, Liz thrived as an athlete with Team BC and was awarded the Ray Lepp Scholarship. Liz competed for 5 years as a member of the record setting UBC Thunderbird Women’s Volleyball team achieving 3 National CIS Championships. During her tenure with the team, Liz was recognized as the UBC Female athlete of the Year, Canada West Player of the Year, CIS All Canadian, CIS Player of the Year, CIS tournament MVP, and the prestigious BLG Award distinguishing her as the top CIS Female Athlete across all sports. Liz was a member of Team Canada’s Women’s Indoor program for 4 seasons and played professionally in Europe in 2010-12. Liz was also a member of Canada’s Beach National team in 2009-10.
Jeff Gogol always believed in the importance of the Officials Program to the sport of Volleyball and was instrumental in formalizing the program within Volleyball BC. He introduced written policies and procedures to ensure consistence and transparency and improved the Local and Provincial certification to take into consideration different learning styles. Jeff is the type of referee who gave back more than he received through countless hours of mentorship and program management. Jeff moved through the ranks quickly and received his National Level certification in 1989. However, his further success as an official can be attributed to his passion for beach volleyball. Jeff attended the first ever National Beach Referee Clinic in 1996. He went from growing the indoor game to furthering the outdoor program. Jeff participated in many FIVB and pro beach tour events in Canada.
Ron’s involvement in developing volleyball in British Columbia covers every facet possible: coaching, officiating, and administrating. His passion began with founding the Victoria Y Volleyball Club, coaching with them for 21 years. His teams went on an incredible streak winning eight of nine BC Juvenile (18U) Championships and over 14 total titles including the National Juvenile Championship in 1979. Along the way he assisted with the provincial team, was instrumental in establishing an exchange program with Japanese teams, and coached a tier one senior women’s team for seven seasons. Ron was also passionate about officiating. He advanced to his level three certification where he delivered a myriad of courses, mentoring and certifying over 500 officials during this time. He also officiated some important matches such as the Pacific Rim Men’s finals and the Canada Winter Games in 1975. As an administrator, Ron served on the BCVA (now Volleyball BC) board for 16 years acting as president for three of those years. One of Ron’s biggest accomplishments was increasing BCVA’s registration by using his previous organizational skills, as well as implementing regulations, from 120 members to 2000 the next year. Ron is an Honorary Life Member of Volleyball BC and received the Founder’s Award in 1993.
Boris Tyzuk’s contribution to volleyball exemplifies integrity and a true passion for the growth and development of the sport. Boris has served as an athlete, official, coach, and board member for Volleyball BC, Sport BC, and Volleyball Canada. Boris was one of the driving forces and a co-founder of the Vancouver Thunder Volleyball Club. He spent his efforts on mentorship of coaches and athletes alike. Boris’ understanding of grassroots development in the bigger picture has served volleyball well. His most valuable contributions have been serving as administrator/board member across many organizations and committees. Some of these include: director of Manitoba VA, Director/President/Board Member for BCVA and now Volleyball BC, Director of Volleyball Canada, Chair of the Volleyball Canada’s Beach volleyball committee, Board member of Thunder Volleyball Club, and the Chair of Canada’s Men’s National Team committee. Boris has contributed his valuable professional skills to our sport, and has made an integral contribution to the development of BC volleyball in general. Boris is an Honorary Life Member of Volleyball BC and received the Founder’s Award in 1997.
Please join us in congratulating the following individuals on their induction into the Volleyball BC Hall of Fame. The VBC Hall of Fame honours British Columbian individuals and teams who have raised the profile of our sport and deserve recognition among the best of the best in the history of volleyball in BC.
Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, Carole Bishop is well regarded as a world class athlete, having represented Canada in the Olympic Games, and in various international championships, including Pan American Games, World Championships, World Cup and NORCECA tournaments. Selected to the first‐ever Canadian Women’s National Volleyball Team in 1967 at age 16 to play in the Pan American Games, Carole was the first string setter throughout her 12 years on the National Team. From 1966 to 1983, Carole was also an integral part of a dominant women’s club team that won Senior Women’s National Championships in 14 of her 16 years with the club, Carole was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 1988, and into the Volleyball Canada Hall of Fame in 2004.
Conrad Leinemann was born in Kelowna, BC and played for the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds from 1990 to 1994, during which time he won numerous CIS accolades including Canada West All-Star and First Team All-Canadian, was named team captain for his last two years with UBC, and received the Bobby Gaul Trophy as UBC’s top graduating athlete across all sports. Conrad went on to become a dominant beach volleyball athlete, winning the gold medal at the 1999 Pan Am Games with partner Jody Holden, as well as National Beach Volleyball Championships in 1995 and 2001, and representing Canada at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Conrad went on to compete in the FIVB World Tour for 14 seasons and clocked the fastest serve in 2005 at 104.4 km/h.
For over 40 years, Dale Ohman has had a hand in developing athletes from across British Columbia through coaching high school volleyball, the Winfield and Williams Lake Camps, BC Provincial Team programs, and as Head Coach of the UBC Men’s Volleyball Team. During his 25 years with UBC, he was twice named CIS Coach of the Year and Canada West Coach of the Year five times, became one of the first full-time head coaches ever in the CIS, and saw nine of his UBC athletes selected to the Canadian National Team. Dale has mentored a number of top level coaches and been instrumental in developing boy’s and men’s volleyball in BC. He served as Coaching and Men’s Provincial Team Chair for BC Volleyball Association (now Volleyball BC) and on the BC High School Boys Volleyball executive.
Harish Dalpatram’s contributions to volleyball in British Columbia are far reaching, but arguably his greatest accomplishments were achieved as a referee. Harish was first certified as a Provincial official in 1971, gained his National certification in 1977, and by 1983 became the youngest International referee in Canada at the age of 32. Harish officiated numerous Provincial and National Championships, and internationally at the Pacific Rim Championships, the Arctic Winter Games, and the World Junior Championships in Curitiba, Brazil. He was an administrator, evaluator, and mentor to young referees. Harish was also a dedicated coach, and Tournament Chair for BC Volleyball Association (now Volleyball BC) and the Pacific Rim Championships.
A well-respected leader for over 37 years in the volleyball community, Howard Hum earned his first officiating certification in 1978. A fixture at Provincial and National Championships over the past several decades, he gained his National certification in 1994, Beach National certification in 1997 and National Referee Clinician and Supervisor in 1999. Howard has held leadership roles within the provincial and national officiating groups and has long championed improvements to the officials development programs. Howard has also contributed to international volleyball as the Referee Manager at several international competitions hosted in BC. Beyond officiating, Howard has served on the board of directors of Volleyball BC and currently with Volleyball Canada.
Eric Ens, long-time resident of Richmond, BC, founded the Air Attack Volleyball Club in 1989 with one team and the vision of building a volleyball community that prioritized youth development and city-wide promotion of the sport. Eric was a founding organizer of the Junior Girls (Grade 10) Volleyball Provincial Championships, and subsequently worked to ensure the event would be hosted in communities around the province. His 28 year legacy was evidenced in 2011 when Richmond schools sent a record five volleyball teams to the High School Provincial Championships, and by the fact that Air Attack is now one of the largest volleyball clubs in BC, with 20 club teams, a house league, and a mini volleyball program for 400 male and female athletes.
Vic Lindal, a.k.a. “Mr. Volleyball”, is known as a visionary, leader, innovator, founder, coach, administrator, mentor, commentator, and referee. From starting the Winfield and Williams Lake Camps and Pacific Rim Championships, to setting the model for the Team BC program, to developing a training plan that led to BC’s double gold medal win at the 1975 Canada Games, to being a founding member of organizations such as BC Volleyball Association (now Volleyball BC), BC High School Volleyball programs, and Victoria Volleyball Association, it would be an understatement to say that Vic has been influential in the development of our sport in BC. Vic was inducted to the Volleyball Canada Hall of Fame in 2000 and the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2001, and is still actively coaching today, most recently in Zimbabwe.
Charles was a member of the first Canadian Men’s Volleyball Team to win a major Games medal with a bronze at the 1979 Pan Am Games. He went on to become the captain of Team Canada before retiring and later becoming Executive Director of the BC Volleyball Association (now Volleyball BC) in 1984. Key successes while at the helm of BCVA included the growth of adult recreational indoor and beach volleyball, coach training and development, and corporate sponsorships for major events, such as the Jose Cuervo Gold Cup. To this day, Charles continues to influence the sport in different ways as a Provincial Team and college coach, an early collaborator on the Long Term Volleyball Athlete Development model, and a well-known commentator for domestic, international and Olympic beach and indoor volleyball matches.
Volleyball BC is proud to announce the inaugural class of inductees to the Volleyball BC Hall of Fame. Six extraordinary individuals and one unbeatable team will be honoured at the Hall of Fame and Excellence Awards Banquet on Saturday, January 10, 2015. Congratulations to Erminia Russo Thorpe, Mike Rockwell, Vale Savege, James Clive, Sandy Silver, Hugh Wong and the 2009/10 UBC Women’s Volleyball Team on their exemplary accomplishments. These inductees have raised the profile of the sport of volleyball, each in their own way, and are well deserving of recognition amongst the best of the best in the history of volleyball in BC. Erminia Russo Thorpe – Athlete Likely one of the most accomplished and well-rounded volleyball athletes in Canadian history, Erminia Russo Thorpe holds a deserving place in the Hall of Fame. After being named a three-time Canada West All-Star and All-Canadian with the University of British Columbia (UBC), Erminia joined the national team for eight years and competed at the 1996 Olympics. She then played professional volleyball in France and became one of the top beach volleyball athletes in Canada before embarking on a successful coaching career. Erminia has been inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame. https://youtu.be/E69wBA7T78s Mike Rockwell – Official Mike Rockwell has reached the highest levels of certification for officiating in both indoor and beach volleyball, an extremely rare accomplishment. Representing Canada as an official, Mike has refereed international FIVB, NORCECA, and Pacific Rim indoor competitions, as well as international beach matches with the FIVB and Pan American Games. He has also been a dedicated mentor to young officials, and has spent over 35 years as a volunteer administrator with the BCO Volleyball Club. Mike is also well known as a coach, and his athletic accomplishments have been recognized in Volleyball Canada’s Hall of Fame. https://youtu.be/UGwsDZSFsJw Vale Savege – Official Well-known as the first woman ever to referee an international volleyball match at the 1981 Pacific Rim Tournament in Japan, Vale Savege has dedicated over 40 years to developing the provincial and national officials programs. Overwhelmingly, Vale is known for being a mentor and leader amongst officials and an advocate for women in officiating. While Vale is being honoured for her indelible mark on the volleyball officiating community in BC and across the country, she is also recognized as an athlete, coach and administrator, and has been honoured in Volleyball Canada’s Hall of Fame as a builder. https://youtu.be/lXiguDSrzJw James Clive – Builder Pioneer and ambassador for beach volleyball, James “Jim” Clive is credited for bringing the sport to BC in 1978 and he has worked tirelessly to grow the discipline ever since. Athlete, mentor, coach, coordinator and advocate, Jim was instrumental in installing the first permanent beach court posts in Vancouver. He also founded the Kits Beach Volleyball Association to ensure there was an organization in place to continue growing the sport. Thanks to Jim’s dedication, the popularity of beach volleyball has flourished and Kitsilano Beach is now a training ground for up and coming elite beach athletes. https://youtu.be/aOXtCcRYWe4 Sandy Silver – Builder Unwavering commitment to being the best that she can be and inspiring others to do the same; these have been hallmarks of Sandy Silver’s career in volleyball – first as an athlete, then as referee and coach, and more recently as an administrator. Sandy is a mentor for female Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) coaches across Canada and she founded an endowment fund that provides scholarships for female UBC volleyball athletes. Her contributions also reach beyond volleyball in her lifelong advocacy for social justice and gender equity in sport, and Sandy has been recognized in Volleyball Canada’s Hall of Fame as a builder. https://youtu.be/wGltcX29QB0 Hugh Wong – Builder What started out as a volunteer position coaching a high school volleyball team turned out to be a lifetime dedicated to the development of our sport. Hugh Wong coached high school and college teams, then became a volunteer administrator with Volleyball BC, before founding the Kelowna Volleyball Club, and moving on to become the President of Volleyball Canada. Hugh’s footprint continues to expand as he shifts his focus internationally with FIVB and NORCECA. At home or around the world, Hugh’s passion has been and continues to be building the sport of volleyball. https://youtu.be/wU5yaNzMXTY 2009/10 UBC Women’s Volleyball Team The 2009/10 UBC Women’s Volleyball Team accomplished an incredible feat when they recorded a perfect 25-0 season, winning the CIS Championship for the third year in a row. The accolades from this team were numerous with Doug Reimer winning CIS Coach of the Year, Claire Hanna winning CIS Libero of the year, and Liz Cordonier winning the CIS Championship MVP, CIS Player of the Year, and CIS Female Athlete of the Year. From this team, 5 players went on to play for Canada on the Women’s National Volleyball Team. https://youtu.be/1jQ3Xe7sEsc Read about the 2015 Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Congratulation to our 2022 recipients of the annual Ray Lepp Scholarship, Lucy Borowski and Lucas Woelders. The $2,000 scholarships are awarded each year to a post-secondary male and female athlete who meet the scholarship criteria and show promise of competing for Canada at the national team level.
Selected from a group of very strong applicants, these athletes have shown a tremendous amount of dedication and commitment to the sport of volleyball and have received numerous accolades for their accomplishments. To read their full story, click HERE.
About the Ray Lepp Award: 
Raimond (Ray) Lepp was a founding member of Volleyball BC (formerly BC Volleyball Association) in 1965, and continued as a Board Member until 1978. In his early years Ray played volleyball in Estonia in a very strong school and club system. Recognizing that the profile of volleyball in Canada was lower he worked tirelessly to increase interest in the sport. With Ray’s passing, he donated funds through his will to provide a permanent endowment that would support in perpetuity a scholarship that encourages and recognizes volleyball and personal excellence in British Columbia for athletes entering post-secondary education.
Download the Eligibility Criteria and Nomination Information: 2022 Ray Lepp Volleyball Scholarships
NOTE: Application deadline for the 2022 Scholarship is October 21st 2022
View a complete list of past recipients –Ray Lepp Past Recipients
Youth volleyball opportunities in BC would not be possible without countless people giving time and energy to the development of athletes and the sport in general. These awards recognize individuals who have made noteworthy contributions during the 2018 club, beach, and high school seasons. Awards include:
Download Awards Descriptions The 2019 Excellence Awards will be presented at the 2020 Hall of Fame. Banquet details above. Deadline for 2019 Nominations for Excellence Awards is December 13, 2019. To nominate someone click here. 
The VBC Hall of Fame relies on inductee nomination submissions to evaluate and induct people and teams into the Hall of Fame. Anyone can create and submit a nomination package in the athlete, coach, official, team and builder categories.
To help you with the nomination process, download these templates: Nomination Letter Template (DOC) Letter of Support Template (DOC)
The deadline for nomination submissions for the 2022 VBC Hall of Fame is Wednesday, September 15, 2021.
If you have any questions about the nomination process you can contact VBC Director of Operations, Adrian Goodmurphy by email at agoodmurphy@volleyballbc.org or by phone at 604-992-4195.
This is a sub-committee of the Volleyball BC Board of Directors and is responsible for overseeing the Hall of Fame selection process, advising on Volleyball BC’s awards and recognition programs, and actively seeking opportunities to nominate dedicated members of BC’s volleyball community for local, provincial and national awards. Terms are 2 years in length.
